“[The year] 2018 will be remembered as the year in which the ANC government declared war on poor South Africans through relentless tax increases,” he said.

A 20% reduction in the fuel levy and the tabling of an urgent debate in Parliament regarding the structure of the Road Accident Fund (RAF) are on Maimane’s list of demands.

He said that the increase in fuel levies, meant for the RAF, could not be justified as the fund had a history of continued mismanagement.

“Government must also know that they cannot continue to blame these fuel price increases on ‘international markets’ as 33% of our fuel price is made up of two levies: the general fuel levy and the Road Accident Fund levy,” he said.

Maimane was also interested in initiating a process aimed at dealing with R160bn in unpaid claims.

“We cannot afford to delay these interventions. People are already struggling to survive, and it will only get worse unless we immediately bring the petrol price below R15 per litre,” he said.

Theron agreed that the cost of living was killing South Africans.

He said now was the time for civil society to stand up and make a change in the country.